Collapsible shipping-box.



H. S. WRIGHT.

v GOLLAPSIBLE SHIPPING BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1910.

Patented Sept. 12,1911.

2 BHEETBBHEBT 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH 20., WASHINGTON, D c

H. S. WRIGHT.

GOLLAPSIBLE $HIPPING BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1910.

Patented Sept 12,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBlA PLANuuRAPfl cO-.wAsH|NOToN. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE.

HENRY S. WRIGHT, OF MADRID, NEW YORK.

GOLLAPSIBLE SHIPPING-BOX.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY S. WRIGHT, citizen of the United States, residing at Madrid, in the county of St. Lawrence and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Shipping-Boxes, of which the follow ing is a specification.

My invention relates to collapsible boxes or crates such as are used for shipping fruits, vegetables, or for other like purposes, and the object of the invention is to provide first, a collapsible crate or box having an entirely smooth interior with no sills, posts or other projections which will come in contact with the contents and prevent the contents being closely packed; second, to provide a crate or box with no distinguishing difference between the bottom or top of the box, permitting the box or crate to be filled and emptied either from the top or bottom without the necessity of turning the box over; third, a crate or box with the cover and bottom securely hinged to its side by hinges of peculiar construction which permit the lids forming the top and bottom to lie flat and closed on the outsides of the sides of the box when the box is collapsed; fourth, to provide a crate or box having the ends, sides, lid and bottom, all securely joined to each other so that no portion of the box may be lost or misplaced.

Minor objects of the invention are to pro vide a peculiar form of hinge and fastening device which are particularly applicable for use with a box constructed in accordance with my invention, the hinges not only pivotally supporting the lids upon the box body, but acting to hold the lids to the box body and engages the sills or sides of the box so as to get the full strength of said sills or sides and make the box equally strong in all its parts, and at all its joints.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my box as composed of slats, and the invention is particularly applied to berry crates, and in these drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved crate set up. Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing in full lines the crate collapsed, and in dotted lines the sides and ends of the crate in their open posit-ion, with the lids turned back. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the crate, showing the hinge connections between the side and end bars. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the crate set up, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. June 4, 1910.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

Serial No. 565,141.

lids, however, being partly open. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, detail section, showing the manner in which the locking device engages with the frame bars of the side section.

Referring to these figures it will be seen that the box is cubical in form, the body of the box consisting of two sides each shown as composed of the bars 2 and 3 and the slats for connecting the bars, and two ends which are of a length equal to the interior width of the box between the sides, each of the ends being composed of the two bars 5 and 6 and the slats 4 connecting the bars. The slats are preferably attached to the inner faces of the bars 2, 8, 5 and 6, so that the interior of the crate or box has no projecting portions, such as would be the case were the bars forming the frame of the box disposed upon the inside faces of the slats.

The ends and sides of the crate or box are hinged to each other so that one end and side may be turned into an approximately parallel relation to the other end and side. Preferably, the longitudinal bars 2 and 3 are hinged at one end to the adjacent end bars 5 and 6 by the metal leaves 7 and 8, the leaves 7 extending beyond the ends of the bars 5 and 6 to which they are attached, and overlapping the adjacent ends of the bars 2 and 3, and the terminal end of the leaf 8 to which it is pivoted by a rivet 9. This form of hinge permits the end bars and the longitudinal bars to be turned into alinement with each other. The other end of each longitudinal bar is connected to the adjacent end of the adjacent end bar by means of a corner plate 10 preferably triangular in plan and rigidly attached to the longitudinal bar, but pivoted to the end bar by a pin, rivet or screw 11. Both ends of each end bar are rounded so that the end bars may turn relatively to the side or longitudinal bars.

It will be seen that the construction above described provides a box body composed of ends and sides hinged to each other to turn into an approximately parallel position, or into a position wherein the sides shall be spaced fro-m each other by the end bars and form a rectangular casing open at top and bottom. The box body in the drawings, is shown as of openwork construction, that is, being provided with slats which is preferable where fruits or vegetables are to be transported, or where it is desired that the box shall be light. I do'not, however, wish to limit myself to such openwork construction. I i

The top and bottom of the box are closed by lids hinged to the body on opposite sides thereof, each lid as shown consisting of a strip of wood 12 having an area equal to the interior dimensions of the box and provided with the two end cleats 13 and the middle cleat 14:, these cleats projecting beyond the edge of the strip'12 an amount equal to the width of the side and end bars 2, 3, 5 and 6. Thus the ends ofthe cleats and the side margins of the end cleats overlap the frame bars of the box body, in other words, overlap the edges of the box body. Both of the lids are constructed precisely like each other but they are hinged not only at opposite portions of the box body but on opposite sides thereof so that one lid Wlll turn down on the outer face of one of the sides, while the other lid will turn down on "the outer face of the other of the sides.

As a means for hingedly mounting the lids to the body of the box, I have devised the peculiar form of hinge which is shown in Fig. 1. This hinge consists of a U-shaped wire staple-like member 15 having the i11- wardly turned terminal ends 16. In connection therewith the other leaf of the hinge is formed by a strip of metal 17 which is folded upon itself and which surrounds the cross bar 18 of the staple-like hinge mem ber, the strip 17 being attached to the lid by means of rivets, nails or other suitable devices. The pointed ends 16 of the hinge member 15 are bent inward so as to be engaged with the box body in such manner as to provide for a resistance to any upward strain. In the illustrated form of my improved crate or box the ends 1 6 of each of thehinge members extend inward across the face of the longitudinal bar 2 or 3, and the hinge member is held in place against the bar and against any outward movement by means of the small staples 19 which extend over the legs of the member 15 and are driven firmly into the barsor into the wood of the box or crate. The hinge member 15 is of such size that it extends beyond. the outer facesof the longitudinal bar 2 or 3 to an amount equal to or slightly greater than the thickness of the adjacent lid, or the cleats thereon. There are two of these hinges consisting of the members 15 and 17 located at opposite endsof the box, the hinge member 17 being preferably attached to the cleats 13, theinturned ends 16 of the member 15 engaging under the ends of the adjacent longitudinal bar 2 or 3. This peculiar form of hinge not only permits the lidto be turned back into a parallel relation to the adjacent side of the box without any strain upon the hinges, but when the lid is in its closed position the inturned ends of the member 15 act to very solidly engage one side of the lid with one side of the box, much more solidly than if these staple-like members 15 were simply driven into the wood of the box without having the right angular bend 16. Another advantage incident to the use of the staple-like members 15 having the bent ends 16 is that when used with the longitudinal bars 2 and 3 it is a very easy matter to apply the members 15, for the reason that the inwardly turned ends 16 act to properly position the hinge members 15, it being only necessary to place the hinge members 15 against the side bar to which they are to be attached and drive in the staples 19. The member 15 may then be shifted until its angular ends 16 are in contact with the adjacent bar 2 or 3 when the cross bar 18 of the member 15 will be at the proper height above the longitudinal bar 2 or 3 to properly accommodate the thickness of the lid. If ordinary hinges were used there would have to be considerable care exercised in order to properly position them, and if they were not properly positioned it will be obvious that the lids would not close down tightly, or that if made to close there would be considerable strain upon the hinges.

In order to hold the lids in their closed positions, I provide each lid with one or more locking bolts or latches, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 5. Each latch consists of a shank 20, the extremity of the shank being turned at right angles as at 21 to form a stop and a means for operating or sliding the bolt. The outer extremity of the shank 20. is bent at right angles as at 22, this bend being also at right angles to the bend 21. The extremity of the bent portion 22 is inwardly bent as at 23, forming an engaging terminal end. The bolt constructed as before described, is not only shiftable but is rotatable, it being mounted in position upon the lid by means of the staples 2 L, the shank 20 being longer than the distancebetweenthe staples 21 to permit the bolt to be shifted. hen the bolt shifted to its outermost position it will be seen that the angular end 21 will contact with the adjacent staple 24, and thus form a stop which will prevent any further out- 2 or 3 when the lid is closed, and .the others a being mounted one on each of the end cleats relation to each other.

13 and extending at right angles to the direction of the latch or bolt upon the cleat 14 and engaging with the end 5 or 6 so as to hold the ends of the lids in close engagement with the ends of the crate or box.

It will be seen that with the openwork construction, comprising the bars 2 and 3, 5 and 6 and the slats 4, that the terminal locking ends 23 of the bolt or latch engage over the frame bars of the box body, and

that thus any opening of the lid is resisted by the strength of the angularly bent material at the end of the bolt, and that these sliding bolts or latches act to clamp the free edge of the lid into close engagement with the box body. It will be obvious that these bolts or latches may be sealed in place after they are in locked engagement with the lid, and thus any unwarranted meddling with the contents of the crate or box will be prevented. In order to prevent wear upon the upper faces of the cleats, and to provide for the easy attachment of the latches or bolts, I preferably mount each of the bolts upon a shield 25 of thin, sheet metal, the staples 24: passing through this shield, the shield being attached to the face of the cleats in any suitable way.

It will be seen that a box or crate constructed in accordance with my invention is thermore, in the open crate construction" which is illustrated in the drawings, the wooden strips 12 extending as they do into the box body and thus being disposed between the side bars and the end bars forming the opposite frames of the box body, also act to prevent any possible collapse of the box body and hold the parts in rigid The crate or box in its knocked-down condition takes up a relatively small space and may be easily transported at a relatively small cost, which is not the case with ordinary crates of this character. The parts when in their knocked-down position lie flat against each other and in such close contact that the parts are rigidly held and are not liable to become damaged in consequence.

The several parts of the box are so simply constructed, so easily and quickly put together, that the box may be made very cheaply, the parts thereof easily assembled, and the box easily repaired in case of any damage.

What I claim is:

1. A collapsible crate comprising a body formed of side sections and end sections, each section consisting of oppositely disposed frame bars and slats disposed on the inside faces of said frame bars and connecting the upper and lower frame bars of the same section, the frame bars of each section being hingedly connected to the frame bars of the next adjacent section to permit one side and end section to be folded into parallel relation to the other side and end section, lids closing the ends of the body, each lid being hinged at one edge to one of the body sections, each lid being equal in width to the interior width of the crate body and when the lid is closed extending down into said body in contact with the inside faces of the slats, the lids preventing the sections of the box from collapsing, each of said lids being provided with transverse cross bars attached to the outer faces of the lids and overlapping the frame bars when the lids are closed.

2. A collapsible crate comprising a body formed of side sections and end sections, each section consisting of oppositely disposed frame bars and slats disposed on the inside faces of the frame bars and connecting the bars of like sections, the bars of each section being hingedly connected to the frame bars of the next adjacent section to permit one side and end section to be folded into parallel relation to the other side and end section, lids closing the ends of the body and each hinged to one of the sections of the body, each lid having a projecting portion equal in width to the interior width of the crate body and adapted when the lid is closed to extend down into said body and prevent the sections thereof collapsing, transverse cross bars disposed at the middle and at both ends of the lid and attached to the upper face thereof, said cross bars overlapping the frame bars when the lid is closed and having a width equal to the exterior width of the crate, hinges attached to one edge of each of said end cross bars, said hinges engaging around the adj acent frame bar, and latches mounted upon the opposite edge of each of said middle cross bars and engaging around the ad acent frame bar.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my slgnature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY S. WRIGHT. [n s.]

Witnesses:

ALLEN I-I. WEARS, LoIs I. PHILLIPS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

